Lightning News

Bolts at Capitals Keys to the Game

Games with the Caps are always intense and tonight will be more so, given the tight race with the Lightning two points behind them, and four behind eighth place. Things to look for tonight:

KEY 1: KEY SAVESHead Coach Guy Boucher did not declare who will start in goal tonight as he had not talked with call up Dustin Tokarski or veteran Dwayne Roloson yet. In either case the team needs what Mathieu Garon has provided so consistently, the key save at the key time. In this 14-6-2 stretch the Bolts have won a number of times with two or three goals against. Garon gave them the key stops.

KEY 2: KEEP CAPS DOWN Washington has been lamenting making critical mistakes lately on their 1-2-1 home stand. Stay aggressive against them. Keeping Ovechkin (0 points in last three) and Mike Green (0 points in nine since return) quiet would help, too.

KEY 3: SPECIAL TEAMSIn most of these one goal wins for the Lightning, the penalty-killing has been pretty good, but wasn't vs. Ottawa. Caps are 5-58 on the power-play. Bolts' PP has come around, going 8-30, most of that coming on the road. Keep it up.

Enjoy the game everyone!

A veteran of broadcasting professional hockey for the past 33 seasons, Rick Peckham is in his 16th season as the play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sun Sports.